The Ramayana Trails is more than a sightseeing holiday—it is a meaningful pilgrimage through the legendary landscapes of Sri Lanka. Travelers journey across the island, visiting the sacred places where the timeless story of Lord Rama, Sita, Hanuman, and King Ravana is believed to have unfolded. Combined with Sri Lanka’s stunning mountains, waterfalls, tea plantations, temples, and vibrant culture, this tour offers an unforgettable blend of spirituality, history, mythology, and natural beauty.
Visit the legendary Ussangoda, an area scorched by Hanuman’s burning tail and one of King Ravana’s ancient airstrips.
Experience the sacred Kataragama Temple, where Lord Karthikeya is believed to have protected Lord Rama.
Explore the picturesque hill country around Ella, including Ravana Cave and Ravana Falls.
Worship at the revered Seetha Amman Temple, where Sita is believed to have been held captive.
Wander through Hakgala Botanical Garden, traditionally believed to be King Ravana’s pleasure garden (Ashok Vatika).
Visit Divurumpola Temple, the site where Sita is believed to have undertaken the Agni Pariksha (Trial by Fire).
Enjoy panoramic tea plantations, tea factory visits, and the spectacular Ramboda Falls.
Seek blessings at the Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple and the sacred Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Explore the magnificent Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya and the modern attractions of Colombo.
Conclude with visits to Munneswaram and Manavari Temples, where Lord Rama sought Lord Shiva’s blessings.
Hindu pilgrims and devotees
Ramayana enthusiasts
Spiritual and religious travelers
Cultural heritage explorers
Nature lovers seeking scenic hill country landscapes
Families and groups interested in mythology and history
Route: Airport to Kataragama
Activities: Ussangoda, Kataragama Temple
Overnight: Kataragama
Arrive at Colombo International Airport where you will meet your Explore Lanka Travels representative at the entrance lobby. Begin your journey traveling south to Kataragama. En route, visit Ussangoda. According to the Ramayana, after Hanuman’s tail was set on fire by King Ravana’s Rakshasas, he torched parts of the empire. Ussangoda, believed to be one of Ravana’s airports, is said to be one of these scorched areas.
In the evening, visit the Kataragama Temple, dedicated to Lord Karthikeya Subramaniam. Lord Karthikeya was requested by Lord Indra to protect Lord Rama from King Ravana’s powerful Brahmasthra weapon. Ensure you have a tray full of fruits and incense to offer during one of the three daily poojas.
Route: Kataragama to Nuwara Eliya
Activities: Ravana Ella Cave, Seetha Amman Temple, Hakgala Botanical Gardens, Divurumpola
Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast, travel up into the misty mountains of Nuwara Eliya. Stop in the small village of Ella to visit the Ravana Ella Cave, situated near the breathtaking 1,080-foot Ella Falls, where King Ravana is said to have lived and hidden Sita.
Continue to the Seetha Amman Temple, a strikingly modern architectural tribute featuring statues of Rama and Sita, built on the route to Hakgala. Next, explore the Hakgala Botanical Gardens. Once the pleasure garden of King Ravana (Ashok Vatika), this is where Hanuman first met Sita and brought her Rama’s ring. Conclude the day at the Divurumpola Temple, the revered site where Sita performed her Agni Pariksha (Trial by Fire) to prove her chastity.
Route: Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Activities: Ramboda Waterfall, Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Tea Plantations
Overnight: Kandy
Depart for Kandy, enjoying the lush tea plantations and a visit to a local tea factory along the way. In the hills of Ramboda, where Hanuman searched for Sita, visit the Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple, built by the Chinmaya Mission and visited by thousands of devotees.
Upon reaching Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Built in the 16th century to house Buddhism’s most revered relic, the temple offers magnificent architecture and an atmosphere of deep tranquility.
Route: Kandy Sightseeing
Activities: Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya
Overnight: Kandy
Spend a leisurely day exploring the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, located just outside of Kandy near the Mahaweli River. Attracting nearly 2 million visitors annually, the gardens are renowned for their fine collection of orchids, a stately avenue of royal palms, the extraordinary cannonball fruit tree, and 40-meter-high Burma bamboo. A major highlight is the giant Javan fig tree, featuring a colossal central trunk and a massive umbrella-like canopy.
Route: Kandy to Colombo
Activities: Colombo City Tour, Gangaramaya Temple (Optional)
Overnight: Colombo
Leave the hotel after breakfast and travel to Colombo. In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Sri Lanka’s commercial center. Colombo beautifully blends old colonial buildings with high-rise modern architecture. See historic structures like the 100-year-old clock tower alongside modern gifts like the BMICH.
Optionally, visit the Gangaramaya Temple. Once a swamp adjoining Beira Lake, it is today a vibrant complex comprising the main temple, the ‘seema malaka’ assembly hall sitting on the lake, and a vocational training institute.
Route: Colombo to Chilaw, then Negombo
Activities: Munneswaram Temple, Manavari Temple
Overnight: Negombo
After breakfast, travel north to Chilaw to visit two crucial Ramayana sites. Munneswaram Temple predates the epic; it is where Lord Rama sought Lord Shiva’s advice to rid himself of the Bramhaasthi Dosham (a malevolent shadow) after killing King Ravana.
Nearby, visit the Manavari Temple. Following Shiva’s advice to install and pray at four lingams, Lord Rama installed his very first lingam here on the banks of the Deduru Oya. Known as the Ramalinga Shivan, it is one of only two lingams in the world named after Lord Rama. Proceed to the coastal town of Negombo for your final night.
Route: Negombo to Airport
Activities: Transfer for departure
Enjoy your final breakfast in Sri Lanka before traveling the short distance to the airport for your onward flight, taking with you the rich history and spiritual heritage of the Ramayana Trails.